Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif plans to discuss proposed energy and transportation projects through Afghanistan that would link Pakistan with Central Asia during a two-day visit to Tajikistan starting June 17.

One proposed project would build power transmission lines across a small, mountainous border area of northeastern Afghanistan to reach Pakistan's northwestern district of Chitral -- which is just 15 kilometers from Tajikistan’s border.

Sharif also is expected to speak with Tajikistan's President Emomalii Rahmon about proposed natural-gas pipelines, roads, and railway connections that would link Pakistan with Central Asia through Afghanistan.

Sharif is being accompanied to Dushanbe by Water and Power Minister Khawaja Asif, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, and Special Assistant on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi.

With Asif also serving as Pakistan's defense minister, and with Pakistan now battling militants from Central Asia, security issues could also be on Sharif's agenda.